COUNTY News:
Are you in the market to buy a home and need money for a downpayment? Or do you need to make repairs to your home without the burden of a monthly payment?
Los Alamos County encourages those who are eager to improve their housing situation to check out the Homebuyer Assistance and/or Home Renewal Programs managed by the Los Alamos Housing Partnership (LAHP). Applications are open as long as funding is available.
The Los Alamos County Homebuyer Assistance Program helps qualified homebuyers purchase a home by providing down payment assistance provided by the County and other sources. The amount of assistance from this program is a maximum of $25,000. Additionally, no monthly payments are due on the loan until the home is sold, vacated, or the title is otherwise transferred.
The Homebuyer Assistance Program will also help with homebuyer education, identifying mortgage providers, and understanding the mortgage application process and requirements. Eligible applicants must purchase a home in Los Alamos County, have a credit score over 620, and have a debit-to-income ratio of 45%, among other requirements.
If home repairs are what you need, apply for the Los Alamos County Home Renewal Program (HR), also run by the Los Alamos Housing Partnership (LAHP) in conjunction with Los Alamos County. HRP enables income-qualified homeowners to improve their homes to increase comfort, safety and livability without adding to monthly expenses.
Like the HAP, the HRP is made possible through a subsidy loan provided by the County and other funding sources. The assistance from this program is a maximum of $45,000. Additionally, no monthly payments are due on the loan until the home is sold, vacated, or the title is otherwise transferred. This loan is ideal for investing in substantial, necessary improvements to your home that may increase its value and that of the neighborhood.
LAHP staff can help with many aspects of the process to ensure a successful project, including defining the scope of work and budget and preparing a bid package for review by the homeowner and prospective contractor. They also will help clients identify and select a contractor, review the work, and process draw requests from the contractor(s) and project closeout.
“Both the HAP and HRP programs are income-restricted, with maximum income adjusted by household size. The current maximum income for a household of four is $114,320. Income limits are adjusted annually,” LAHP Executive Director Steve Brugger said.
Los Alamos County Community Development Department Director Paul Andrus said, “These programs are crucial to the County’s mission to provide a variety of housing types to meet the needs of a growing population by maintaining our existing product for current and future owners and helping lower-income households become homeowners.”
Applications and information are available online at www.losalamoshousingpartnership.org, however, a phone call to schedule an appointment is always a good way to help determine a potential applicant’s eligibility for the programs, LAHP Program Manager Cindy Hollabaugh said. Call Hollabaugh at 505.570.0136 or the LAHP office at 505.662.8919 or email Hollabaugh at cindylahp@gmail.com or Brugger at stevelahp@gmail.com.
For more information on Community Development programs and services, visit https://www.losalamosnm.us/government/departsments/community_development, email economicdevelopment@lacnm.us or call 505.662.8116.
